Residents come together to clean neglected park highlighted on FB

Lying ignored for over five years, the public park, alongside the road from Gill Chowk to Partap Chowk, was finally cleaned after its pitiable condition was highlighted on a social networking site.

Photographs of the appalling condition of the park were posted by city residents on a Facebook page, Ludhiana Cares, inviting residents to volunteer to clean the park. The park was being used to dump garbage and debris, besides people often urinated there.

Thereafter, Assocham Ladies League (ALL) came forward to help the residents, besides entailing the help of municipal corporation and A2Z group.

Lakhvir Singh, a resident of Gill Chowk, Industrial Area, said, “The park was not being maintained since the work of flyover started here around five years ago. Therefore, we came forward to clean the park with the help of members of Ludhiana Cares Facebook page and ALL, as they have conducted such drives earlier too.”

According to residents, they have cleaned a part of park, while it would take couple of days more to clean it completely.

Kuldeep Singh, another resident said, “After getting to know about Ludhiana Cares page, we clicked photographs of the park and put them up on the Facebook page. Subsequently, the page administrators contacted us and we met mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria.”

Singh further said, “The MC and A2Z group sent machines and employees for the cleaning drive. We also want from the municipal corporation to repair the lights installed in the park and footpath should be repaired or reconstructed.”

“The walls of park will be painted and the broken walls are being constructed by the municipal corporation. The work would continue for next two days as one around 30% work has finished,” he added.

“This was our sixth such drive in the city. The mayor and A2Z group supported the cause. The park was in a deplorable condition. Therefore, our members and residents came forward to clean it. We will continue our drives for the welfare of city,” said Harpreet Soin, a resident member of Assocham.